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School

University of Maryland

Department

Communication

Course

COMM 107

Professor

Stepno

Semester

Fall

Description

Chapter 1
Friday, September 6, 2013 10:03 PM
Communication- conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional process in which feelings and
ideas are expressed as verbal/nonverbalmessages that are sent, received or comprehend
Intrapersonal communication(aka personal communication)is communicatingwith yourself (through
processing, decision making)
Interpersonal communicationis communicationbetween two or more persons who establish a
communicativerelationship
Public communicationis a speaker communicatingto an audience. You don't really change your
response based on how the audience reacts--you'regiving a speech.
Communicationis dynamic, continuous, irreversible, interactive,contextual.
Human beings are capable of selective communication- we can choosethe symbolthat best represents
what we want to express
When we communicate,we encode (take ideas and put them into message form) and send them
through our primary signal system (senses), to someonewho decodes (translates) the message.
During communication,encoded messagesare carried through channels (usually sight or sound)
Feedback - the response, a verbal or nonverbal reaction that the receiver has
Communicationnoise - internal or external interference in the communicationprocess
Environmentalnoise - outside interference, such as running water or loud noises, crowd talking
Physiological-ImpairmentNoise - physical problem that can block effectivesending or receiving, such as
being blind
Semantic noise - problems might arise with the meaning of words, especially across different regions
and groups
Syntactical noise - inappropriate grammar or form
Organizational noise - when a source fails to realize that certain ideas are grasped when presented in a
structured order, when the speaker is all over the place
Cultural noise - from preconceived,unyielding attitudes in a group or society.They influence beliefs and
how people act, which can be a barrier to communication(e.g., what you and what your group does is
always right)
Psychologicalnoise - stress, frustration, irritation
Context matters - age, status, gender, cultural heritage, setting
Models of communication:
Linear- a source encodes a message, and sends it to the receiver through one or more sensory channels. Linear- a source encodes a message, and sends it to the receiver through one or more sensory channels.
The receiver then decodes the message.
Interactional- a source encodes and sends the message to the receiver. The receiverdecodes the
message, but then encodes feedback and sends it to the source.
Transactional- a source and receiver play interchangeable roles throughout the act of communication
Cultural Communication:
Intracultural-interacting with those with whom you have a cultural bond
Intercultural-interacting with those with whom you have little or no cultural bond
Multicultural - a society consisting of varied cultural groups
Ethnocentrism - consider the views and standards of our own in-group as much more important than
any out-group
Ethical Communicators- respect the integrity of ideas and concerns from the listeners Chapter 2
Monday, September 16, 2013 9:32 AM
Presentation:
- Is a form of public communication
- He introduced what he is going to talk about at the very beginning
- Maintained the audience's attention well
- Used visuals which made the presentation more interesting
- Could have been better organized
- Linear communication
- There was environmentalnoise among the crowd
- Psychologicalnoise as he is dying soon
- Cultural noise as examples of Disney World and NFL might not resonate globally
Chapter 2:
Language is a system of arbitrary signals such as sounds, gestures, symbols
- Used by a nation, people, or distinct community
- To communicatethoughts or feelings
Meaning - the way words are placed together, and the backgrounds and experiences of the
communicators
Language is constantly evolving
Cybernetic Process:
Input -> Storage -> Stimulus -> Search -> Recall -> Output
- functions like a computer
Cortex - part of the brain that stores,computes and processes incoming signals.
Language-explosion Theory - suggests we build communicationskills from the core of language we
develop early in life
Significant-other theory- suggests we select specific people or groups, whose language, ideals, and
beliefs that we allow to influence us
Features commonin all languages:
Languages are based on a set of symbols,both verbal and non-verbal
Languages that are alphabetically based recognize the differences between vowels and consonants
Languages have ordered structuralcategories such as verbs, nouns, and objects
Words in and of themselvesare not inherently meaningful.
Denotative Meanings - direct, explicit meanings
Connotative Meanings - implied or suggested meanings
Semantics - Relationship of language and meanings
Language distortion - occurs when people intentionally or unintentionally distort informationas they
process it (ambiguity, vagueness, inferences, message adjustment)
Inferences - we interpret beyond available information or jump to conclusions without using all the
information available Emotivelanguage - express the feelings, attitudes, and emotionsof the speaker
Cognitive language - conveysinformation
Identifying language - names persons or things specifically
Slang - words that are related to a specific activity or incident that are immediatelyunderstood by
membersof a particular group Presentation/Mini Paper
Monday, September 16, 2013 10:18 AM
- Choose a public presentation (e.g., product announcement,investor relations presentation,
speech). This should be an actual person, not a speech from a movie or TV show
- Submit your choice via email by end of day on September 18, 2013([email protected])
- Presentation:
○ Be prepared to play a short clip (30 seconds) of the presentationduring class and to
highlight your mini-paper during a presentation to the class (5 minutes)
- Mini Paper: 3-5 pages, double space, 1" margins, cover sheet, be sure to source anything you draw
from the text or elsewhere
- Mini Paper should address
○ Basics of the presentation (e.g., name of speaker, title, audience)
 Hans Rosling
□ Swedish academic, statistician, and public speaker, and the Professorof
International Health at Karolinska Institute, and co-founder and chairman of
Gapminder Foundation which developed the Trendalyzer software system
 "The best stats you've ever seen"
 Ted Talk
○ Questions
 Why did you choosethe presentation?
□ I had initially seen this presentation in a statistics class. It was one of my favorite
presentations, and I really liked the way he presented data to a general
audience. I think he had a very impressiveuse of visuals. Also, the subject
matter he brings up about the developing world is very interesting.
 Is it a good presentation? Why or Why not? Note: You must draw from the discussions
we've had in class up to this point and the informationthat has been covered up to
this point in the text to justify your answer to whether it's a good presentation (e.g.,
type of communication,communicationnoise, context, communicationmodels,
cultural impacts, functions of language, nonverbal communication)
□ It is a good presentation
 Regardless of whether you think it's a good presentation, what are two things the
presenter could have done better to engage his/her audience? Chapter 3
Wednesday, September 18, 2013 9:36 AM
Non-verbal communication- composedof all the messages that people exchange beyond words
(nodding your head, pointing, smiling, frowning)
*your eye movementmight indicate things, if you're looking to the left or right, a memorythat you've
seen before
- Look someonein the eye when you do a handshake
- Don't cross your legs in an interview
- Look presentable, dress professionally
Sources of nonverbal behavior:
Neurological - automatic,nonverbal reactions to stimuli with which we are born (smiling, palms
sweating, blinking)
Cultural and Intercultural Behaviors - learned nonverbal behavior, reflective of the culture from which
they were learned, cultural differences
Verbal and Nonverbal Relationships:
Substituting - replacing words with actions (nodding yes)
Complementing- complementsor reinforces a verbal message (nodding yes and saying yes)
Conflicting - movementsconflict to what you're saying (your boss says she has time to talk but is
constantly checking her watch)
Accenting - nonverbal behaviour that accents or emphasizes what is being said (pointing your finger)
Kinesics - Study of communicationthrough the body and its movements
Ocalics - study of the eyes
Haptics - Study of the use of touch in communication
Emblems - Nonverbal acts that have a direct verbal translation or dictionary definitions (sign language)
Body Synchrony - study of posture, walk, stance
Artifacts - Study those things that adorn the body or environment
Proxemics- Study of how people use and perceive their social and personal space
Cultures can be distinguished by the distances by which membersinteract by and the frequency of
touch Chapter 4
Monday, September 23, 2013 9:08 AM
Listening
- Is a learned skill, unlike hearing (which is a biological function)
Listening Process:
Reception-
- Chapter 5
Wednesday, October 2, 2013 9:59 AM
Intrapersonal Communication - inner speech/self-talk (communication that takes place within a single
person, clarifies ideas, analyzes a situation, includes things like thinking, daydreaming, making decisions,
keeping a journal)
Types of Self Talk:
Imagined interactions - mentally picturing or hearing people communicating, rehashing a conversation,
preparing for an interview
Digital communications - People view what is reflected in a digital space as a reflection of oneself
Self-Concept - Your idea or picture of yourself
Self-esteem-
Physical (body perception)
Moral-ethical (evaluation of your belief system)
Family (views of family relationships)
Social (evaluation of yourself in social situations)
Seven signs of a weak sense of self - sensitivity to criticism, inappropriate response to flattery,
hypercritical attitude, tendency toward blaming, feelings of persecution, negative feelings about
competition, tendency toward seclusion and timidly
Psychological vultures - attacks a person's perceived weaknesses
- Nest in six areas: intelligence, creativity, family, relationship, physical, sexual
Cognitive processing - how de deal with information in relationship to our values, attitudes, and beliefs
Cognitive dissonance - imbalance between your values, attitudes and beliefs (Think about a guilty
conscience: real or perceived for that we will be punished or get "found out")
Perceptual process - your senses collect the evidence, you organize the cues, you interpret the cues
Jumping to conclusions - assuming we understand what another person thinks, feels or perceives
Real self - what you think of yourself when you are being most honest with yourself
Ideal self - who you would like to be or think you should be
Public Self - this is the one you let others see/know
Classic Theory: four aspects that make up self
Spiritual (thinking feeling)
Material (possession and physical surroundings)
Social (interaction with others)
Physical (physical being)
Another theory: self evolves from interactions with others
Communication apprehension - commonly referred to as shyness, communicatively anxious person
- To combat: skill training, systematic de-sensitization (recognize tension, learn to relax), cognitive
modification (think positively), drug therapy Chapter 6
Monday, October 7, 2013 10:18 AM
Interpersonal Communications - 2 people send and receive messages
Self-disclosure - intentionally letting the other person who you are by communicatingself-revealing
information (Ex. Storytelling)
Self-perceived I - imagine you project, the way you see yourself
Other-perceivedme - collective judgment by others, person that others perceive you to be
Other factors in interpersonal communication - emotions,power, gender Chapter 7
Wednesday, October 9, 2013 9:35 AM
Successful Relational Communication:
- I messages instead of you messages
- Respond to what the other person says
- Allow the other person freedom of speech
- Set aside frequent talking time
- Do not assign labels
Communicationin Relationships:
Functional system:everyonehas a role and there is structure
Dysfunctional:something disturbs the functional system
Relational conflict: normal, but should be handled or the relationship may end
ElectronicallyMediated Communication - texts, email, facebook,etc.
Better Interpersonal Online Communications:
- Understand that your email may not get a response
- Some email recipients don't want an overwhelmingamount of back and forth
- There is no such thing as a private email communication
- You can't recall an email
- Abbreviations - make sure the other person understands
Conversation- an interaction with at least one other person
Small talk - an exchange of information at the surface level, typically lasts about 15 minutes
In depth - talking about personal matters (e.g, attitudes, beliefs, goals)
Questions - an important way to develop a conversation,encourage people to open up, help in
discovering other people's attitudes, can be used to direct the conversation,help clarify meaning and
get more information
Tips for keeping a conversationgoing: turn the spotlight on the other person, listen closely for
information that draws attention to an interest you both have, keep it light (especially in earlier
conversations)
Listening - extremelyimportant in conversations.Conversationsshould be two sided, assumptions
should not be made, needs - how do you want to start the conversation(don't just jump into personal
conversations)
Types of conversations:
- Giving directions - instructions to completea task, get somewhere,etc.
○ Spatial: Provides descriptions according to a geographical direction
○ Chronological:step by step process
- Requesting - expressing a desire for something
○ Restatement(didn't understand), definitions (jargon), clarification (expanding on a point)
Asking questions - asking for restatement,definitions, clarification
Empathy - ability to put yourself in the "mental shoes of another person" to understand his/her feelings
Conflict - "any situation in which you perceive that another person, with whom you're interdependent, Conflict - "any situation in which you perceive that another person, with whom you're interdependent,
is frustrating or might frustrate the satisfaction of someconcern, need, want or desire of yours."
Levels of conflict:
Level 1 - no conflict
Level 2 - Latent conflict (one person recognizes potential conflict, the other does not)
Level 3 - Problemsto solve (mutual recognition,express concerns, no personal attack)
Level 4 - dispute (there is a problem to solve, personal attacks)
Level 5 - help (drawing in others to help manage and resolve)
Level 6 - fight or flight (don't seek help, or help doesn't work, so then move to this stage - divorce)
Level 7 - intractability (no longer interested in resolving the conflict) Chapter 8
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 9:33 AM
Interview - purposeful conversationbetween two or more persons that follows a question and answer
format
- Interviewer(person driving the conversation)
○ Developsan interview agenda - outlines the procedures that will be followed and includes
the format for the interview
○ Is good at interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues
○ Should be a good listener and not talk too much
- Interviewee(person answering the questions)
○ Ask for clarification as needed
○ Restate the question in the answer
○ Answer one question at a time
○ Turn a negative into a positive
Types of questions:
- Direct: explicit and require specific replies (e.g., where did you last work?)
- Open: less direct and only specify the topic (e.g., what is your educational background)
- Closed: provide alternatives, narrowing the possibilities for response (e.g., would you like to work
for this company)
- Bipolar: require a yes or no answer
- Leading: encourages a specific response
○ Loaded: type of leading response
○ Yes-response: encourages a yes response from the interviewer
- Mirror questions: follow up on the original questions
- Probing: used to elicit a more detailed response (e.g., why do you feel that way?)
Types of interviews: employment,informationgathering (e.g., journalists), oral history (e.g., families can
preserve their history), problem solving (e.g., challenge at work), counseling (e.g., seeing a therapist),
persuasive (e.g., sales), appraisal (e.g., performance review),media Chapter 9
Monday, October 21, 2013 9:49 AM
Groups - A system which is characterized by interconnectednessof its constituent parts (the individuals
who make up the gro